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Ictpilot Ictpilot : Heard the story decades ago when 41000 ft was a stretch for Learjets. A pilot came on center frequency and asked for flight level 600 (60,000 ft). The controller thought it was an airline pilot messing with him and said "Hey if you can get there, you can have it." Then the pilot said "Roger decending to 600." Total silence. Then everybody realized it was an SR71.

mach 6 : "The king of speed lived, the Navy had been flamed and a crew had been formed that day." Lol 😂😂

SV Wingman : I'm a former Navy pilot and even I love that story. There was no equal to the Blackbird.

Ron Merkus : Know what would be funny if the space shuttle was entering and they called out a ground speed!!!!

Kabuki Kitsune : What he leaves out: "At that moment, you know a Navy pilot died inside..."

Kevin O : ISS to LA center, you got a ground speed for us? LA center to ISS, we've got you at 15,000 knots, that's one five zero zero zero across the ground :D

a grace : that's some of the funniest shit ever!! I would trade my left nut for ride in the blackbird!!

say jack13 : People on here really don't understand how high 89,000ft is. Your looking over the curvature of the earth.

alan bauman : Actually - This is a true story - its not urban legend - I know because I WAS THAT HORNET PILOT! I was having fun - after hearing the first two aircraft ask for a ground speed check - I had previously caught a glimpse of the Habu on radar a few seconds before at Mach 2.9 and 72,000ft - and Vc (closure) of 2200Knts I figured he was probably up some special frequency but I figured I could entice him into a ground speed check if I asked for one first - so I did. Sure enough - he did. So even though he kicked my ass airspeed wise - I was able to get him to do what I wanted. No - I don't remember the final comment "closer to 2,000" so that might have been some embellishment. I also remember noting that he was in and out of my LAR (launch acceptability region) that there was no possible way of sticking him with a forward quarter missile. I used to see them on radar now and then as they transited the R2508 complex over the Owens valley usually on their way to tank. We always new it was the SR because of their engines. Very impressive aircraft - I shed a tear when they retired them!

Him Bike : SR-71 skin is made out of titanium. My bicycle is made out of titanium. Yes I’m 12

Beemerboy324 : An SR 71 driver doing stand-up. I definitely had never thought I would see that. Fun story.

Nia the Gulf Gypsy : The Blackbird is and always will be, the most beautiful bird I've ever seen. Respect and appreciation to all those fly those birds and all those who keep them safe and in the air!!

MrTeckhead93 : This is by far my favorite aviation video on YouTube.

Micah Philson : This is just like when someone from the ISS called in to Car Talk.
"This is John from Houston. I drive a government vehicle, and twice, it's done this weird thing. It starts shaking for about 2 minutes, then runs smooth for about 6 1/2 minutes, and at that point, engine dies."
(later) "Where are you calling from?" "I'm, uh, about 200 miles north of Hawaii." "How fast are you going?" "Oh, about 17,500 mph!"

Danny Rice : That's 2292.353 miles per hour for anyone asking. That's amazing and I came here from other videos to tell others so.

Stanley Denning : From Moscow Idaho to Joplin Missouri is 1,833 miles. It took me three days to make the trpin a car . About 64 hours. In a SR71. 55 minutes. Wow !

Crazystuffyousee : The "true" speed of the SR-71 has never been revealed. To claim only Mach 3 for this plane is a joke..... Even his little round about "training" exercise calculates to well over 2000 mph as they maneuvered over the western states. Freaking AWESOME.

Life with a BlueTick Coonhound : This Story is the best story I have ever heard. I thought there was no humor left in the military. That it was driven out during basic training.

BIlly The Kid : What’s up Doc? You making a right turn in Albuquerque?... lol

Derek Frankovich : The navy must die lol

Psittac20 : Every now and then, when I need a solid smile on my face, I look for this story. It's a good one

Monty Leverett : My JROTC Col got buzzed by the SR71 once, after he got the letter saying it was de-classified, he said, and I quote "I really hate debriefings."

Lankster Price : 2000 mph... must have been on one jet and limping around..... lmao ..

Fred Ferd : Well, technically, the fastest winged vehicle of all time was the Space Shuttle when it was coming down hill from orbit. I think it hit something like Mach 29 or so.

John Reynolds : The black bird is indeed an amazing aircraft. Even more amazing is the fact that the aircraft was designed entirely by hand. They did not have computer aided design in the days the aircraft was built. You definitely have to respect the engineers who designed such an amazing machine and had to calculate everything manually.

Rick Shaw : As it is decommissioned, When can I buy one? I would have no problem getting hauled off in a truck in the middle of the night just for flight hours...

Chris Ahola : I think all the blackbird pilots tell that same story. But it's still funny.

nocalsteve : I remember reading about this in “Flying” magazine literally the month after it happened. Instant legend!

MikeVonDoom : 2000 knots are close to 3704 km/h which is a mind blowing speed!!! =o

Aerofan : The question is...how fast did they fly on operation Eldorado Canyon; the Libya mission?

blech71 : Even though I'm a NAVAIR guy this is the best story ever!

Symion : This is absolute gold. Makes me laugh every time.

Music And Coffee : The SR-71 was a badass for real. If you can get your hands on Shul’s book “Sled Driver” do it, it’s amazing.

Edward Cabaniss : I cannot listen to this story too often!!! I die laughing every time I hear it (daily).

sleuf : Brilliant

Clint : This is my new favorite story. It had me bawling i was laughing so hard!!! that guy is a great story teller...but with subject matter like that i guess its pretty hard not to be...

rcoveyduc : Bad ass pilot and fabulous storyteller. :D

Shawna Graham : Omg !!!!! Finally a face to the voice!!!!!!

Max Wylde : As a former Army pilot, I could attest that one of us would've likely asked about our ground speed after the mighty SR-71, coming back at something like 100 knots or something, and then to copy that with a comment that we'll be among the first on the ground banging everyone's wives.

Knee High : "Kadafi was silenced on our watch " big statement...

Dj265Nav : I have had the pleasure of hearing Maj. Shul speak as an AFROTC cadet at The Ohio State University and again at Kessler AFB. He is an inspiration that I have pointed many people, both military and civilian, to look up to hear his story. To add an SR-71 story, as an Instructor at the navigator school house at Mather AFB, it was 0100 and all was quite on the radio and a call comes into Seattle Center. "Seattle Center, Aspen 30, request Flight Level 600." There was a slight delay from Seattle Center, then they responded, "Aspen 30, Seattle Center, if you can get there you are cleared to FL600." "Seattle Center, Aspen 30, Roger, descending to FL600." There were 12 navigator students that morning who realized Aspen 30 was an SR-71 coming back from a mission and it was an awesome motivator. (NOTE: Used Aspen 30 only because there are to many years between then and now to recall the actual call sign.)

Chris Ufkes : I have heard this a few times and it still makes me laugh. :D

Aerohk : ISS to LA Center, speed check.

R6-D2 : LMFAO Good stuff. Errr I mean THE RIGHT STUFF........!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!